Stories from Southern Minnesota's Fighting First

October 2008

October 31, 2008

Xcel Energy will seek regulatory approvals to develop a 201-megawatt project in southwestern Minnesota's
Nobles County, called the Nobles Wind Project, and a 150-megawatt
project in Dickey and McIntosh counties in southeastern North Dakota,
called the Merricourt Wind Project. The projects are expected to be
operational by the end of 2010 and 2011, respectively. Together, the
projects will produce enough electricity to power approximately 110,000
homes.

Congressman Walz praised the project:

"Xcel Energy's
innovative project is one piece to the solution of moving our nation to
energy independence. This is a great example of how green jobs will put
people to work in our communities while producing clean and renewable
energy to power our country."

Back to campaign news. It's Halloween, and we're hearing grim rumors from the right side of the district. In honor of the walking dead, a classic from Concrete Blonde:

( Mankato and Rochester , Minn. ) – A group of southern Minnesota residents held press conferences today to say that they are sending a letter to Republican Congressional candidate Dr. Brian Davis to express concern about his call to eliminate certain health insurance requirements, like those in Minnesota that require treatment for specific diseases.

Dr. Davis has repeatedly said that Minnesota ’s minimum standards of care for health insurance companies—which require the treatment of diseases like diabetes and alcoholism, as well as cancer screenings—are responsible for driving up the cost of health care. As a result, Dr. Davis has called for fewer of these requirements.

"I don’t agree with Dr. Davis that Minnesota ’s health insurance requirements ‘take away choice,’” said Mary Bliesmer. “These minimum standards prevent insurance companies from taking advantage of people. Dr. Davis is on the side of the insurance companies and eliminating laws that require coverage of lifesaving treatment is pretty scary, even for Halloween.”

“We’re fortunate that here in Minnesota , we’ve got laws that protect people by guaranteeing that their insurance companies will cover important treatments and services,” said Becky Cole from Mankato . “Dr. Davis said we should eliminate many of these protections, and that worries me.”

“Real cost savings in health care come with reduced physician error, government negotiated drug prices, payment reform that rewards outcomes over volume, and inter-operable medical records to reduce duplication, and improve case management,” said State Senator Kathy Sheran of Mankato. “I am disappointed Dr. Davis offered as his center piece of health reform a proposal that increases the insurance company’s control, and restricts the power of the people to set minimum expectations for health care coverage.”

“We cannot keep tweaking a broken system of health care, and that is my primary disagreement with Dr. Davis,” said Dr. Syl Sterioff. “His suggestion that eliminating some of the requirements Minnesota imposes on insurance companies will be transformative is the wrong focus.”

“These minimum standards of care help protect people from being taken advantage of by their health insurance companies,” said Colleen Clark, a nurse. “ If Dr. Davis wants to cut back on them, that’s pretty important for voters to know.”

“In Minnesota , our laws help make sure people will get the health care they need,” said Wes Urevig, of Rochester . “The Star Tribune said that Dr. Davis’s years as a physician ‘apparently haven't inspired passion for fixing the nation's health care system or deep insights.’ I think that we can do better, so I’m supporting Tim Walz.”

Davis: We Need Fewer State Mandates. “We need to have fewer state mandates so we can have a more uniform market across the country.” [Fairmont Debate, 10/2/08]

Davis: State Mandates ‘Take Away Choice.’ “It would make a lot of sense if there was some uniformity in what are mandated things to cover and what aren’t in a particular health insurance policy. The more that a state does that, the more that they take away choice.” [Minnesota Debate, 10/13/08]

Davis: We Need Uniformity In State Mandates: “I think that how we’re going to reduce health insurance costs is that we [are going to] have some uniformity across state lines, so that you can buy insurance in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and have some uniformity of coverage.” [Minnesota Debate, 10/13/08]

Davis: Minnesota’s Health Insurance Mandates Drive Up Costs: “Because Minnesota has more requirements than any other state, Maryland is second, that does help drive up some of the cost of health insurance.” [KSTP debate, 10/12/08]

Davis Would Cut Health Care Costs By Allowing Insurance Companies To Not Cover Certain Illnesses. “Davis also said that he would work to reduce health care costs by introducing market competition in the insurance market and eliminating state regulations that mandate coverage for certain illnesses and conditions.” [Rochester Post-Bulletin, 9/15/2008]

Star Tribune: Davis Has No ‘Deep Insights’ Into Health Care. “His years as a physician apparently haven't inspired passion for fixing the nation's health care system or deep insights. His standard-issue proposals contrast unfavorably with the fiery expertise of his boss, Mayo CEO Dr. Denis Cortese, who campaigned nationally this year for systemic overhaul.” [Star Tribune editorial, 10/27/2008]

Update: We have no idea what G.R. Anderson was smoking when he wrote his Minnpost article which posits this race as a model of civility. Sounds like neither he nor Hamline prof David Schlutz has ever seen a Davis television ad or press release or read any of the district dailies

After months of preparation — both in and out of the
classroom — Dakota Meadows and Mankato East hosted mock elections on
Thursday. Dakota Meadows’ election, coordinated through National
Student/Parent Mock Election, was decidedly in favor of Obama, who
garnered 347 votes to McCain’s 153. In the U.S. Senate race, Franken
won by just eight votes while Tim Walz, in the U.S. House race, won in
a landslide with 75 percent of the vote. Results from Mankato East’s
mock election, through the Youth Leadership Initiative, weren’t
announced until this morning.

Al Franken made a campaign stop in Mankato today.The senate candidate
was joined by Congressman Tim Walz and Senator Amy Klobuchar at
MSU.During ''For the Middle Class, For a Change'' rally, Franken said
he plans on helping Minnesotans and Americans reach for what he called
the ''promise of America,'' something he says has become a distant
reality over the last 8 years.Al Franken says, ''What I believe is that
what this election is about and what the next 4-8 years are gonna be
about is bridging that chasm and fulfilling once and for all the
promise of America.''The team started their campaign earlier in the day
with stops in Rochester, Owatonna, and Faribault.

He’s an opponent of abortion and gay marriage, is
doubtful that fossil fuel consumption is the primary reason for global
climate change and opposes embryonic stem cell research. He wants to
make the Bush tax cuts permanent, would like to eliminate the estate
tax and would be interested in studying a nationwide sales tax as a
replacement for income taxes.

Davis's pivot makes this statement in the MFP profile all the more ironic:

“Minnesota is a great place, and a lot of people look
at the candidates for who they are,” he said. “And they may not agree
with them on every issue, but they feel they can trust that person to
be straight with them

And we suspect that those in Southern Minnesota's renewable energy industry will raise their eyebrows at this, given the importance of the production tax credit:

He also said he’s opposed
on principle to the numerous tax credits available to individuals and
businesses, something he considers government micro-managing of the
economy.

And when it comes to PAYGO, in Brian Davis's world, evasive is the new straight shooting:

Davis also doesn’t say whether he would
support the pay-as-you-go budget rules — a strategy to reduce budget
deficits by requiring that any new spending increases or tax cuts be
offset with spending cuts or tax increases in other parts of the
budget: “That’s one strategy.”

. . .In his first term in the
United States Congress, Minnesota’s First District Representative Tim
Walz has earned the support of two nonpartisan environmental groups,
the League of Conservative Voters and the Sierra Club. Both
organizations are endorsing Walz for a second term.

LCV President Gene Karpinski said,
“Congressman Walz has done a great job of reaching across the aisle and
working with other freshmen members of congress to promote bi-partisan
legislation that will make a real impact on the environment and the
economy. He has bright new ideas for his next term and will continue to
be a strong ally for clean energy in Congress. He has supported
groundbreaking initiatives that will end our addiction to oil, invest
in renewable energy sources and create jobs right here at home.”

I hope others will join me in voting for Walz so that he can continue this good work.

The
Republican Party’s endorsed candidate, oncologist and neophyte
politician Brian Davis, has not gained much traction against freshman
Walz. The incumbent has a serious financial lead in the district, which
runs the width of the southern part of the state.

The 2008 race stands in sharp contrast with that of 2006. CQPolitics and other political handicappers have moved their predictions steadily toward the incumbent as this year's Election Day draws near. Two years ago, the race was red hot, with media and third party groups drawn to the district as Gutknecht and Walz duked it out. This year? Barely on the radar.

In the netroots, Jeff Rosenberg revives his analysis From the archives: Walz’s secret to success in CD1. It's a solid piece, though we tend to shun labeling anything about successful campaigns as "secret." It's no secret that the Walz camapign is smart, strategic, well-funded and firmly planted in the grassroots.

Alex Knutsen has been hard at work for months working to re-elect Congressman Tim Walz
in the first district. He considered jobs in the corporate sector, but
is confident that his choice to work for a campaign following
graduation was the right decision. He says this job has taught him
that, "compensation for the effort you put in comes in many forms."

Between the long hours and grueling schedule, especially as
campaigns make their last push before voters hit the polls, Knutsen
finds many aspects of his work rewarding. "[The knowledge that] the
work I do directly contributes to the encouragement of ideas, to the
empowerment of others, and to the process of making laws work for
people, means more to me than the sort of rewards I saw myself earning
in any number of positions," Knutsen said. He says he receives
intangible rewards from his daily work all the time. "In this job," he
said, "those rewards greatly out-value anything money can buy."

Looks like Congressman Walz is helping to grow the bench of positive, progressive political talent in Southern Minnesota.

Addresses can be updated with the "Where's My Refund?" tool at IRS.gov.

It enables taxpayers to check the status of their refunds.

Taxpayers must submit their Social Security number, filing status and amount of refund shown their 2007 return.

The tool will provide the status of their refund and in some cases, provide instructions on how to resolve delivery problems.

Taxpayers without internet access should call 1-866-234-2942.

In Minnesota, the average economic stimulus check was $560.

Taxpayers
who continue to have trouble receiving their checks or have other
outstanding issues with the IRS should contact Walz's Rochester office
at 507-206-0643.

Through September 2008, the government
distributed 116 million economic stimulus payments. About 279,000
checks remain undeliverable across the country.

The Waseca County News reports that convicted Enron exec Jeffrey Skilling has left the building and has been transferred to a correctional facility in Colorado. FCI Waseca is converting to an all-women's prison by the end of the year.

And in honor of those middle school kids, here's a Walz ad about "Lessons":

Photo: Congressman Walz visits his old classroom; photo credit New York Times.

The
Republican Party’s endorsed candidate, oncologist and neophyte
politician Brian Davis, has not gained much traction against freshman
Walz. The incumbent has a serious financial lead in the district, which
runs the width of the southern part of the state.

. . . unlike last election where there were a number of independent groups
(such as Chamber of Commerce) running television ads in the First
District supporting Gil Gutknecht, that this year they are absent ? . . .

. . .The evaluation of the District’s newspaper editorial boards is that
Moderate Everyman Tim is deserving of a second term and that the
unabashedly conservative, political novice Dr. Davis is the one that is
out of sync with the district.

So is the election is over, right … hardly. Unlike
other states, Minnesota does not have an early election period … as the
media continues to report that Obama will win Minnesota’s electoral
college votes and voters see long lines at the polling booths, there is
the temptation to turn back when the lines begin to expand. Apathy is
Walz’s main challenger … and the lack of independent expenditures lulls
the voter into a state of [complacency].

That could be so--but we have to believe that the importance of the up-ballot choices will stoke voters' drive to go to the polls--and the Democratic GOTV efforts across the board are in overdrive. Photo: Our little friend Felix isn't old enough to vote, but once he learned about the complacency of the frontrunner's supporters in the 1948 election, he's been putting in triple shifts at the local DFL phonebank.

Fifty-two years ago today, our father stopped by the maternity ward of Mankato's Immanuel Hospital to see our mom and us, then went back out to canvas the streets of the Key City for Dwight Eisenhower's re-election campaign.

Since then, attitudes about fathers' roles in birthing have changed. We don't know any man who wasn't at the side of the mother of his child--with the exception of a couple of guys in the Army and National Guard, who weren't happy at being away but understood their duty.

But the crunch time of GOTV has remained a constant companion on our birthday in even-numbered years. We urge everyone to get out and volunteer--whether by phone banking, doorknocking, stufing packets, or making food for the hordes of volunteers who are giving their time in this important election.

There will be work to do on Election Day as well; one task is driving voters to the poll. If you're civic minded but not into political parties, consider volunteering for this GOTV work. Non-profits in Minnesota can hook you up with non-partisan GOTV volunteer opportunities.

We wouldn't want anyone to have to give that greedy cat a burger in order to exercise his or her right to vote.

John Rassieur of Owatonna, Carl Witty of Kasson and Laura Askelin of
Rochester participate in a press conference Wednesday in Owatonna to
support Congressman Tim Walz, and to criticize a national sales tax
supported by Walz’s Republican opponent Dr. Brian Davis. Walz was not
in Owatonna Wednesday to participate in the press conference, but will
be appearing with Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Al Franken at 11:45
a.m. today at the Owatonna Elks Club.

Rep. Michele Bachmann is now notorious for her appearances on cable
TV news programs, having sparked significant controversy with her
recent “anti-America” statements on MSNBC. But as Politico reports,
Bachmann, a Republican, has done 23 major television appearances since
the beginning of September — far more than any member of Minnesota’s
congressional delegation. How does a freshman Congress member from the
minority party find herself in the limelight so often?

Easy. You and I pay for it.

Bachmann has built an impressive communications staff in Washington,
D.C. She has a press secretary for national media, a press secretary
for local media and a “new media director” who harnesses “the
networking and outreach power of the internet.”

According to congressional salary data, none of Minnesota’s Congress
members has more than one press secretary. Minnesota’s most influential
members, Democratic Reps. James Oberstar and Collin Peterson, who chair
the House Transportation and Agriculture committees, respectively, each
have only one press secretary.

Bachmann’s fellow freshman colleagues, Democratic Reps. Keith
Ellison and Tim Walz, each have just one communications lead, and Walz
has combined the communications director and district director
positions into one entity.

"It's an honor to receive the support of Congresswoman Bachmann," Davis
said of Bachmann. "She is a dynamic leader for Minnesota and for our
conservative causes. I value her leadership and advice, her principles
and energy. I look forward to serving with her in the 111th Congress."

Over the weekend, I read something very concerning. When the Republican
candidate for Congress, Brian Davis, was asked to name a specific way
he would improve education or health care benefits for veterans, he
couldn’t come up with even one idea.

I can’t believe that
someone could run for Congress for over a year and in all that time not
manage to develop a single idea about how to improve veterans’ care. I
have heard how hard it is for veterans to make use of their educational
benefits.

When I returned from Vietnam in 1971, I was able to enroll
in law school without having to jump through all kinds of hoops to get
my benefits as veterans do today. Anyone who has taken the time to talk
to a veteran and get their perspective on these issues would have been
able to come up with an answer to that question. But not Davis, I guess.

[Robert]Youngerman is a retired major in the United States Army Reserve.

Billed as a presentation of Davis's heath care plan, last night's meeting in Albert Lea turns out simply have been a chance for Davis to rally the GOP faithful. Check out the intense excitement rippling across the faces of the faithful.

A comment on the Post Bulletin story about the national sales tax and Brian Davis piqued our interest: the person said that Davis attended Fair Tax meetings:

Brian Davis has att[e]nded Fair tax meetings. Why doesn’t he just come clean and say that he’s for the Fair tax?

We understand that Brian Davis did attend this Rochester event in July. The Minnesota Fair Tax Roundtable, a Yahoo group, notifies readers:

News Release

Minnesota 4 Fair Tax will host a get acquainted meeting at the La Quinta Motel, 1600 So. Broadway, Rochester at 7:00PM on Wednesday, July 9th. We will be doing a Power Point overview of the FairTax, followed by discussion.

Rep. Walz, Brian Davis and Dick Day have been invited to attend.

The FairTax is a proposal before in U.S. House (HR25) to replace the income tax with a national sales tax. Nationally we are faced with many issues, but top priority is our economic future. The FairTax answers that all-important question, and you can learn all about it in
about half an hour. Bring a friend.

David Boone
District Director
Minnesota 1st District

Perhaps the Post Bulletin's Matt Stolle could call Mr. Boone and ask if Davis spoke at the event, and if so, what he said. We are told that Davis did speak to those assembled.

Davis claims that:

"I've said this is an interesting idea. On one occasion, I think I said
it was a good idea, but I wasn't ready to support it. I felt it needed
more study," said Davis . . .

If Davis spoke to the fair tax meeting in July (and it is our understanding that he did), his remark at the earlier forum isn't the only time he has expressed interest.

. . .Right now I am talking face -to-face with 2 Republican contenders against Walz, in an attempt to make the FairTax an up-front issue in the race.

Readers may recall that Davis received the endorsement at the First district GOP convention at the end of March and Randy Demmer dropped out of the race as he had promised to do. Thus, Boone would have been having his face-to-face meetings with Dick Day and Brian Davis.

According to this week's Post Bulletin story:

But another Republican, state Sen. Dick Day of Owatonna, said it has
always been his impression that Davis supported the fair tax. Day ran
for the congressional seat but lost in the GOP primary against Davis in
September. He did not participate in the debate, though.

"I've thought all along that he's been for the (fair) tax. I've
always thought that. I think his supporters would be disappointed if he
wasn't," Day said.

Perhaps Senator Day got the impression that Davis supported the national sales tax from those face-to-face meetings with Boone. One thing is for certain, Davis's assertion that the "fair tax" only crossed his mind once meets the smell test less and less.

Photo: Once again, Davis's explanations are enough to--well, you get the picture.

October 29, 2008

Al Franken is coming to Rochester on his "For the Middle Class, For A
Change" Tour with a few of his friends, Congressman Tim Walz and
Senator Taryl Clark– And we want you to be there.

Join Al & Tim on Thursday the 30th from 9:00-10:15 am at the
Masonic Lodge in Rochester for a free Get-Out-The-Vote pancake
breakfast. They will be talking about the change that Al will bring to
Washington and how he will be a partner with Congressman Walz. And,
we'll be letting you know about opportunities to help elect Barack
Obama, and the entire DFL ticket.

So join us on Thursday the 30th and don't forget to bring an
undecided friend. The Masonic Lodge is located at 2002 2nd St. SW in
Rochester.

If you can make it or if you have any questions, please let Chelsie know by emailing cglaubitz@gmail.com or calling 507.382.9879.

And what better tune to drift off into sweet dreams of butter and syrup than this 1970s classic:

In one respect, what
residents of southern Minnesota saw in 2006 from candidate Tim Walz was
exactly what they got from Congressman Tim Walz.

The Mankato West High School geography
teacher, assistant football coach and Army National Guard command
sergeant major was constantly on the go as a candidate. Voters rewarded
his energy — and promises to change the way Washington operated — with
an upset victory over six-term Congressman Gil Gutknecht, a Republican.

And during two years in the U.S. House, Walz barely slowed down.

After getting named to two major
committees, the typical number for a member of the House, he lobbied
for a third — ending up on panels dealing with agriculture,
transportation and veterans affairs.

He held more than 170 public meetings in
the 1st District, which stretches across the southern quarter of the
state. He went to grocery stores on Saturday mornings to chat with
residents, he scheduled regular conference calls with any media that
wanted to quiz him on his votes and positions.

He scheduled forums across the district to
get input from farmers as he worked on the new federal farm bill. He
called dozens of experts and constituents in the region when he was
mulling whether to support the $700 billion rescue plan for the
financial services industry.

“That was very much a sense of
responsibility — to add the openness and the accountability,” Walz said
of his attempts to put himself in front of his constituents.

( Mankato , Minn. ) – Today, Tim Walz announced that over 35 newspapers and organizations have endorsed his reelection.

“I’m proud that over 35 newspapers, veterans groups, labor unions, and organizations that represent southern Minnesota ’s farmers, first responders and middle class families are backing my reelection,” said Walz. “I’m thrilled to have their support and I look forward to working with them to make sure that on Election Day, we put our country back on track.”

Walz said that today his campaign would be releasing its final television ad of the campaign, which touts his endorsement by several local newspapers and organizations as diverse as the Veterans of Foreign Wars PAC, the National Rifle Association, the Alliance for Retired Americans and the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association.

“In this campaign, I’ve focused on how we can get our economy back on track, rebuild the middle class, and move America towards energy independence,” said Walz. “I’m a father, a teacher and a veteran, and I know that when people in Washington are willing to reach across party lines, we can solve problems.”

Below are quotes from six local Minnesota newspapers that have endorsed Tim Walz.

Albert Lea Tribune: “The attribute we like best about Walz is his ability to think long-term. The pioneers thought that way. Our grandparents thought that way.”

Minneapolis Star Tribune: Walz is “smart and practical,” and that “unlike other politicians, Walz actually offered solutions instead of simply criticizing.” Walz has “won support across the district for staying in touch.”

New Ulm Journal: “Walz has been an energetic representative for the district, working on a variety of issues. He is a frequent visitor to the district, and uses the information he gets from back home to make legislation that better serves the people.” Walz is “a strong supporter of the troops,” whose “recent vote against the economic bailout package went against the party line.”

Rochester Post-Bulletin: “We're impressed by his level of involvement in significant, meaningful legislation….When Walz says he understands and appreciates the concerns of the struggling middle class, we believe him. He's one of us -- a hard-working Minnesotan who's served his country, taught young people and isn't afraid to get his hands dirty, both literally and figuratively.”

Winona Daily News: “Walz wasn't afraid to break with his party to vote against the bailout
package. He worked hard for a new farm bill.” Walz practices “politics at the most local and most effective level.”

Worthington Daily Globe: Walz has a “desire to represent his district, and work with others in a bipartisan fashion.”

The following are some of the newspapers and organizations that have endorsed Congressman Tim Walz:
Albert Lea Tribune
Minneapolis Star Tribune
Rochester Post-Bulletin
New Ulm Journal
Winona Daily News
Worthington Daily Globe
AFL -CIO MN Committee on Political Education
AFSCME Council 5
AFSCME Council 65
Alliance for Retired Americans
American Federation of Teachers
American Nurses Association PAC
Citizens Trade Campaign PAC
Clean Water Action
DFL Veterans Caucus
Education Minnesota
IBEW Minnesota State Council
International Association of Fire Fighters
International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 49
Joint Council 32-Teamsters
League of Conservation Voters
Minnesota AFL -CIO
Minnesota Nurses Association
Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association
Minnesota Professional Fire Fighters
Minnesota State Council of UNITE HERE Unions
National Community Pharmacists Association
National Education Association
National Farmers Union PAC
National Rifle Association
National Treasury Employees Union
Service Employees International Union , Minnesota State Council
Sierra Club
Teamsters Joint Council 32 DRIVE
UNITE HERE
United Auto Workers Minnesota State Community Action Program Council
United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
Veterans and Military Families for Progress
Veterans' Vision
Veterans of Foreign Wars PAC

Update 10/30: See Brian Davis and Minnesota's flat tax organizers for revealing new developments in this story. Emerging details tend to support Senator's Day's recollections of Davis's ongoing interest in the national sales tax.[end update]

But another Republican, state Sen. Dick Day of Owatonna, said it has
always been his impression that Davis supported the fair tax. Day ran
for the congressional seat but lost in the GOP primary against Davis in
September. He did not participate in the debate, though.

"I've thought all along that he's been for the (fair) tax. I've
always thought that. I think his supporters would be disappointed if he
wasn't," Day said.

Fascinating stuff. Davis seems to want to have it both ways: applauding the national sales tax but being able to deny that he thinks it's a good idea. Sounds like the response of a certain Sixth District congresswoman when she was called on it. Davis touts being a straight shooter, but has anyone seen him hit a target?

Update: The irreplaceable McPherson Hall at Minnesota Central takes an in-depth look at Davis's saying that the national sales tax is a "good idea" in Davis needs more time to Study Taxes. [end update]

Since it's close to Halloween, we know the perfect song for Davis's odds of being elected on Tuesday:

The Austin Herald has published More silence from Davis, a letter from reader Jay Youmans. The Rochester resident writes:

At this date all citizens of Minnesota and most everyone in the
United States are aware that Sixth District Congresswoman Michelle
Bachmann went on national television to say that Barack Obama may have
“anti American views” and that the media should do an investigation of
Congress to see who is “pro America or anti-America.”

Tim Walz and other Democratic members of the Minnesota Congressional
delegation along with Colin Powell, Tim Pawlenty, John Kline and Arnie
Carlson have said that Bachmann was wrong to say what she did.

However, once again on this issue, Brian Davis has elected to remain completely silent on how he views Bachmann’s comments.

This is very reminiscent of his refusal to tell citizens what
diseases he would vote to delete from state mandated insurance coverage.

Does Brian Davis agree with Bachmann? If not, why doesn’t he say
so? Davis has demonstrated a reluctance to be straightforward with
voters on at least two crucial issues.

Residents of the First District deserve candor from a person who wants to represent us in Congress.

"It's an honor to receive the support of Congresswoman Bachmann," Davis
said of Bachmann. "She is a dynamic leader for Minnesota and for our
conservative causes. I value her leadership and advice, her principles
and energy. I look forward to serving with her in the 111th Congress."

Is that Brian Davis's final answer?

Photo: Davis, Bachmann and Mitt Romney at a swank University Club fundraiser on St. Paul's Summit Avenue on September 1

But as Mr. Garcia once wisely sang, "when life looks like easy street, there is danger at your door." We remind our readers that overconfidence doesn't win elections: strong GOTV often makes the difference. Walz's campaign and supporters mustn't get too sure of their candidate's chances and slack off or get distracted.

Volunteer to work on GOTV phonebanks and doorknocks. Volunteers receive training and, unlike our feline friend, probably won't have snowbirds' homes on their walking lists. Or stop by your local DFL office to connect with a phone bank or doorknock. It's incredible where offices are poppingup. There's even a DFL office opening in Kasson tomorrow, the Dodge County Independent reports.

Congressman Walz and other Democratic candidates will also be rallying supporters across the district. The Winona State College Democrats will host Congressman Tim Walz and Al Franken at WSU tonight at 7:30 p.m. Click on the link for more information.

Proponents and opponents of using unlicensed wireless devices in
unused parts of the broadcast spectrum, the so-called “white spaces,”
continue to vigorously lobby the Federal Communications Commission with
only a week left until the commission’s vote on the issue.

Some 28 members of Congress have sent a bipartisan letter to the FCC
urging the commission to delay its scheduled Nov. 4 vote and seek
public comment on the white spaces rulemaking, citing unfavorable
results in an FCC report on field testing of prototype devices this
summer. The lawmakers expressed concerns over the devices’ interference
with both wireless microphones and cable television systems, and said
that

“further clarity on the report’s policy conclusions is needed,” as
the prototype devices "failed to differentiate between an occupied and
unoccupied TV channel nearly 33% of the time.”

An interesting question that's not on most people's front burner, but yet another story that illustrates Walz's commitment to the details of policy making.

Two years ago, Tim Walz — a social studies teacher from Mankato seeking
political office for the first time — unseated six-term incumbent Gil
Gutknecht and earned a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Now,
for the first time, Walz is running as an incumbent, with Republican
Brian Davis of Rochester his challenger.

To say Walz and Davis are
different is an understatement, but it wouldn’t be fair to characterize
the matchup between the two as extreme left versus extreme right —
particularly in the case of Walz. In seeking his second term, Walz has
gained the endorsements of all sorts of Minnesota groups comprised of
teachers, farmers, law enforcement ... and even the National Rifle
Association. This is a reflection of Walz’s desire to represent his
district, and work with others in a bipartisan fashion.

Davis has
spoken prominently about the need for increased American drilling, and
his position on health care — free markets, as opposed to some type of
universal coverage system — also contrasts significantly. Davis and
Walz, of course, contrast on a myriad of other issues, and even their
backgrounds are different. (Walz spent a long career in the Minnesota
National Guard, while Davis — now a doctor at Mayo Clinic — has
multiple degrees, including a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology).

We endorsed Walz in 2006 as a fresh newcomer who would bring a fresh
voice to Washington, and we feel he has done just that. He deserves
another two-year term.

October 28, 2008

The "Interrupted Thoughts" column by Randy Carlsen, publisher and editor of the weekly Dodge County Independent read more like personal choices for candidates than formal endorsements. We're not calling the selections in the column endorsements for that reason.

Carlsen will be splitting his ticket, casting a vote for McCain while not selecting Franken (he doesn't say if Coleman or Barkley is his man). But further down the ballot? He writes:

. . .Congressman Tim Walz is finishing up his first term and I can't say he
has done anything to show he should be voted out of office. What Walz
does have going for him is the fact that he is a very down-to-earth
people person. He can relate to the average rural Minnesotan.

The
only State Representative race is incumbent Republican Randy Demmer and
DFL candidate Jim Jensen. I can't make a recommendation because both
are respected individuals. I know Randy Demmer as a very good family
man and Jim Jensen is the type of person people can't help but like. We
have two very good choices here.

Meek words in an election year in which more strident voices take over sometimes. Carlsen's thoughts may seem lukewarm to some, but for many small town Minnesotans, such mild language is assertiveness itself.

Brian Davis seems to be chasing his own tail when it comes to his statements about the national sales tax. A press release and fact sheet just in from the Walz campaign covers the basics:

The Facts on the 23% National Sales Tax Plan

Davis Calls it a “Good Idea;” 80% of Minnesotans Would Pay Higher Taxes

( Mankato , Minn. ) – With the economy in trouble and Minnesota ’s middle class families hurting, Dr. Brian Davis, the Republican Congressional candidate in Minnesota ’s First District, continues to say he thinks it’s “a good idea” to impose a new 23% federal sales tax on all goods and services.

This is despite the fact that tax experts, newspapers all across the country, and conservative Republicans like President Bush and former House Majority Leader Dick Armey agree that a new 23% sales tax would have a devastating impact on the middle class and could lead to a recession.

According to one study by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, 80% of Minnesotans would pay more in taxes each year under the federal sales tax that Dr. Davis thinks is “a good idea.” The average tax increase on middle class Minnesotans under the plan would be nearly $3,000.

Additionally, supporters of a 23% federal sales tax also call for the elimination of the Internal Revenue Code, which would wipe out important tax credits and deductions like the Child Tax Credit, the Earned Income Tax Credit, and the mortgage interest tax deduction.

Equally troubling, imposing a new federal sales tax, which Dr. Davis thinks is “a good idea,” would force senior citizens to be taxed twice on their Social Security benefits. Seniors who earned their Social Security benefits by paying payroll taxes during their working years would be subject to a 23% sales tax on everything they buy with their Social Security payments. Davis has previously said he supports privatizing Social Security, a move that would put the retirement security of senior citizens at risk by gambling it on the stock market.

“It’s incredible that with our economy on the ropes, Dr. Davis thinks it’s ‘a good idea’ to put a new 23% sales tax on literally everything we buy,’ said Chris Schmitter, campaign manager for Tim Walz. “Tim Walz has a plan to cut taxes for middle-class families; Dr. Davis says it’s a ‘good idea’ to increase taxes on 80% of Minnesotans and privatize their Social Security.”

A fact sheet about the national sales tax [below].

Maybe Davis picked up his coyness about the national sales tax from his BFF Michele Bachmann. Lovely.

Republican Congressional Candidate Brian Davis is calling for a new, 23
percent national sales tax...Saying the tax would replace all other
taxes and put money back into the wallets of residents who need it
most. Davis' Fair Tax would end state and federal income taxes, which
tax at a higher rate the more income a person makes. Something
economics professor Dick Schiming disagrees with, Professor Dick
Schiming says, "By taxing consumption, people will consume less. The
upside is that they'll save and invest more. The downside is that
everything we buy from a gallon of gas to a loaf of bread is going to
have a twenty three percent sales tax on it, so everything we buy will
cost more. "Today a group of concerned citizens who oppose the national
sales tax met at the DFL District office to voice their concerns. James
Carroll says, "Most people would not be able to afford this. Most
people fall into the 15% income tax rate and adding a 23% sales tax
instead doesn't make sense. "The residents say they are more concerned
with tax cuts for the middle class.

is an association of rural phone and broadband providers concerned with
ensuring that American consumers and businesses continue to enjoy
affordable telephone and broadband service. The CAC includes
CenturyTel, Consolidated Communications, Embarq, FairPoint
Communications, Frontier Communications, Iowa Telecom and Windstream
Communications, who collectively serve more than 17 million customers
in 42 states.

Potentially higher costs to consumers and the lack of transparency in rule-making are cited as reasons for delayed the decision and opening up the process for public comment.

Seven southeastern Minnesota counties will get $7.4 million to
repair federal roads and highways damaged in the August 2007 flood.

They are Fillmore, Houston, Olmsted, Steele, Wabasha, Winona and Dodge, according to the office of Rep. Tim Walz, D-Mankato.

A record 15.1 inches of rain fell in 24 hours during the event, and
some places recorded substantially more. In addition to flooding
thousands of homes and killing seven people, the floods damaged
culverts, bridges and piers in many roads.

Overshadowed by the Bachmann-Tinklenberg and Madia-Paulsen races, the
Tim Walz vs. Brian Davis match in the First Congressional District has
been a fascinating fight between lunchbucket DFLer and loyally
conservative Republican.

Tim Walz has been a champion for veterans since he went to Congress,
working for an increase in the mileage reimbursement rates for
veterans, making sure our soldiers going to Kosovo received combat pay
for their service, and supporting the new GI Bill. We need to make
sure that our representative in Congress has actually taken the time to
think about issues that are important to us.

"Davis, a physician at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, will speak at 7
p.m. at the Fairlane Building. Organizers say he will spell out his
plans to lower medical costs."

Somehow, we don't think those plans will involve covering everyone. On the other hand, since Davis is a global warming denier, we can probably stop worrying that setting the uninsured sick and children adrift on ice floes will be a part of his plan.

". . .His years as a physician apparently haven't inspired passion for fixing
the nation's health care system or deep insights. His standard-issue
proposals contrast unfavorably with the fiery expertise of his boss,
Mayo CEO Dr. Denis Cortese, who campaigned nationally this year for
systemic overhaul. . . ."

Image: Can you find Brian Davis's meeting in our artist's rendition of the Freeborn County Fairgrounds? We're curious why Davis is making his presentation in Albert Lea, rather than Southern Minnesota's Medical City. Like the Star Tribune, daily newspapers in both Rochester and Albert Lea endorsed Congressman Walz.

In the next circle of risk, where CQ puts races where the incumbent is
not quite safe but not in much danger, two more Minnesotans are listed.
Democrat Tim Walz of the 1st District and Republican John Kline of the
2nd are "favored" but not safe.